Body rather elongate.
Opercle with 2 flat spines; preopercle with large, forward-directed spines on its lower margin.
Mouth terminal, moderately protractile
Vomerine teeth in a crescentic band, without a backward extension on midline of roof of mouth.
Two separate dorsal fins; the first with 8 to 10 spines; the second with 1 spine and 12 or 13 soft rays. Anal fin with 3 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays.
Scales small; lateral line complete with 62 to 74 (mode 70), but not extending onto caudal fin.
Caudal fin moderately forked.
Colour silvery grey to bluish on the back, silvery on the sides, belly sometimes tinged with yellow. Young with some dark spots on upper part of body but adults never spotted. A diffuse spot on the edge of opercle.

North Atlantic from Norway and the British Isles southward to Morocco and the Canaries, also Mediterranean and Black Sea. Elsewhere, southward to Senegal.

Habitat and Biology

Demersal behaviour,inhabits coastal waters down to about 100 m depth, but more common in shallow waters, on various kinds of bottoms; often entering estuaries and sometimes ascending rivers.Young fish form school, but adults apper to be less gregarious.Reproduction in January to March in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, March to June in British Isles.
A voracious predator, feeding on small shoaling fish and a wide range of invertebrates including shrimps, prawns, crabs, squids and molluscs.

Size

Maximum 100 cm; common to 50 cm

Interest to Fisheries

Separate statistics are not reported for this species in FAO Fishing Area 34. Caught in bottom trawls , beach seines and on hooks and lines. Highly sought by sportfishermen.Marketed mostly fresh or frozen, also smoked.